Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
He remembered that day. It was sunny, bright, happy. He remembered her saying it, the same as always. He never realized the unspoken word was 'forever'.
It was slow. He never even knew it happened. They didn't touch if they could avoid it, she was always working, always busy. Whenever she looked at him, there was a certain amount of pain in her gaze.
But he didn't notice until she was gone. Because his work hours had gotten longer too. He didn't have time for her, couldn't make it back in time for dinner, never in time for dinner.
Once, he had crawled into bed, too tired to change out of his wrinkled, dirty clothing, and she had said, "Sasuke?" and he had replied, exhausted and crabby, "What?"
"You're never here anymore."
"What do you mean?" he snapped. "I'm here right now."
"But you're never here."
"Please, Sakura. I'm worn out and I need to get to work early in the morning."
And he turned on his side, his back to her. To this day, he still didn't know if it was just his imagination, or if she had whispered, "You're never here, and when you are, I wish you weren't."
So the month went on. Every morning, she would give him a tiny kiss on the cheek, just before he left early, not for work, but to see her. And Sakura would still kiss him, a tiny peck, and continue making eggs, just the way he liked, and ask, "You can't stay just a little longer?"
And he would straighten his tie and say, "No. I can't." And then he would leave.
Just a tiny peck. They hadn't kissed each other, really kissed each other, for months. But who knew that he would miss those tiny pecks, bothersome and annoying then, so much?
And one morning, he came into the kitchen, ready to leave and meet her. Sakura was cooking the eggs, just the way he liked. And she gave him the quick kiss on his cheek. When he turned to go, she held him. He sighed exasperatedly. "Sakura – "
She gave him that sad, sad look and said, "I know. Sasuke, I know."
His heart beat faster. "Know? Know what? Please, Sakura, don't be ridiculous. I have to get to work."
"Goodbye, Sasuke, I love you."
"I'll see you tonight, okay? We'll have dinner together."
She smiled. "Okay. Okay. I'll make your favorite. See you tonight."
He straightened his tie, and left. He spent the entire day with her, forgetting all about his promise to Sakura until it was past nine. Then he rushed into his car.
"Sasuke, wait! Can't you just stay with me for a little longer? She's certainly can't be worth this." She grabbed his arm, her perfectly manicured, deep maroon nails standing out sharply against his black suit. Sakura would never wear such a dark color. He pried her hand off.
"I can't." He closed the car door, and sped off.
The house was dark. He swung the door open and shouted, "I'm sorry, Sakura, but work was a mess and – "
The light flickered on. He froze. He wandered into the kitchen. The table was set, two candles, the good candles she saved for special occasions, burned down to stubs in the center. There were two plates loaded with food, sitting, cold and abandoned. The house was empty. There was an envelope on the table. He picked it up gingerly, not believing his eyes. "Sasuke". It was a little heavy. He opened it, and a slip of paper, and something else, fell out. Her ring. "I loved you." Papers fluttered to the ground. Divorce papers. He had signed them weeks ago, not really paying attention at the time, just wanting to get her out of his hair.
She had left.
His eyes widened in realization.
"I know, Sasuke. I know."
"You're never here, and when you are, I wish you weren't."
"I'll make your favorite."
"Goodbye, Sasuke. I love you."
Several weeks later, in the market of a small village, he had glimpsed a head of subtle pink hair. He headed towards it, pushing through the crowd. It was snowing lightly, the cold flakes drifting into his face as he rushed towards her. He got closer, never losing sight of that pink hair. And then he heard her laugh, and he was sure. It was her. Sakura.
A flash of blond.
"I love you, Deidara."
And he froze.
"I love you too, yeah."
When did it get so cold?
Not quite sure where this came from. I think it's sort of sad, but... Anyway, review please!
- Red